Recognise and report – the importance of fire door safety week

This month marks national Fire Door Safety Week, which runs from 22 to 26 September 2025. The week aims to raise awareness of how to spot a problem with a fire door and how you can report it. This knowledge could save a life.

Fire doors are specialist pieces of equipment that are designed to withstand smoke and fire – to keep you and your possessions safe in the tragic event of a fire. Over the past few years, we have invested over £16 million installing new fire doors as front doors to flats and in communal areas in blocks. 

But these doors can only do their job if they are working properly. Although we ensure fire doors are inspected regularly, it is essential that everyone who lives in a shared building knows what to look out for. Please let us know if you notice a fire door in your block that:

• Is propped or wedged open (fire doors should be kept closed at all times)
• Is missing any self-closing mechanisms, hinges or screws
• Has any signs of damage or has been tampered with

If you spot any issues with a fire door please tell us online, so that we can take action. Don’t turn a blind eye and think that maybe someone else will report it. As a tenant or leaseholder, it is your responsibility to help us keep your building safe. This means reporting any issues and not altering your own front door in any way. Please never attach anything or drill into your door or remove the self-closing devices.

You can report a problem with a fire door tell us online, by email, or by alerting your local neighbourhood warden. We take every report seriously and will respond quickly. 

Residents on the tenants’ Building Safety group are in full support of the national Fire Door Safety initiative. Vicky-Lee from Bassett who is a member of the group, says she urges everyone to know how to recognise and report problems:

“These doors are literally there to save lives, but they must be in full working order to do their job. Everyone who lives in a block of flats uses the fire doors every day so it is really important that all residents know how to spot issues and also how to report them. Please keep your eyes open for any faults and let the council know immediately. We are here to challenge the council on any safety issues or concerns to ensure that tenants and leaseholders have a voice when it comes to matters concerning building, fire, gas and electrical safety.”

If you would like to join the tenants’ Building Safety group, please get in touch with our Tenant Engagement team.